La Niña Means Dry Bay Area Winter Likely

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – Pacific water at the equator is two to three degrees below normal, creating a La Nina condition forecasters said could make the rain hitting the Bay Area Friday the exception rather than the norm this winter.

KCBS’ Bob Melrose Reports:

The La Nina weather pattern means some rain early in the season, but then intermittent wet weather after that with rain fall below normal for the year, said Tom Evans, a warning coordinator for the National Weather Service.

“Of course, with less chance of rain in the spring, we can actually get drier conditions quicker and earlier, so an earlier fire season is possible in this case,” he said, speaking to a meteorology class at San Francisco State University.

There’s always a chance, he admitted, that the tropical moisture known as the Pineapple Express could lead to some drenching days even if the overall season is dry.

“Flooding can occur during La Nina. It has occurred during La Nina, so don’t discount it even though the forecast for the whole winter is below normal,” Evans said.